08/31/2020
Zoom Meeting with Congressman Brad Schneider,10th Congressional District
Zoom Call on August 31, 2020
Zoom Meeting with Congressman Brad Schneider,10th Congressional District
On August 31, 2020, a number of ECA members participated with a virtual session with Congressman Brad Schneider, 10th Congressional District. The Zoom call was coordinated through the efforts of NECA Government Affairs, the Northeastern Illinois Chapter, NECA, as well as the ECA Legislative Committee.
Topics of discussion included the following:
- Multi-employer pension plans – Composite plans urged; legislation is needed to allow plans to adjust to avoid profound unfunded liabilities;
Overall NECA Position regarding Multiemployer Pensions:
- Authorize the creation of the innovative composite plan design.
- Create a special partition structure with increased federal funding to the PBGC to support those plans that have experienced a massive downturn in the current economy.
- Implement provisions like those in the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, and the Pension Relief Act of 2010, which would give plans the ability to freeze their zone status and smooth investment losses.
- Taxation regarding use of PPP funding
Overall NECA Position regarding Securing the Industry:
- Work to ensure that contractors are not unfairly held liable for circumstances out of their control related to COVID-19 when all necessary guidance has been followed.
- Explicitly waive Code Section 265 from applying to PPP loan forgiveness to ensure PPP loan recipients are not subject to increased tax liability.
Other issues:
- Funding needed to repair an aging infrastructure
- Payroll Tax impact(s)
- Mail-In Balloting
- Importance of Census participation
We thank the Congressman for his time at the session, as well as the members and NECA staff that were able to assist on the call, including: James McGlynn, Sr., ECA Legislative Committee Chairman, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc., Steve Diamond, NECA PLC District IV Chairman, Malko Communication Services, LLC, Ken Bauwens, EIT Chairman, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc., Thomas Morton, LLD Electric Company, Ed Nickow, LLD Electric Company, Bruce Creen, Chapter Manager, Northeastern Illinois Chapter, NECA, and Tim Taylor, ECA Assistant Manager.
Pictured from a previous legislative meeting from left to right are:
Steve Diamond, NECA PLC District IV Chairman, Malko Communication Services, LLC,
James McGlynn, Sr., ECA Legislative Committee Chairman, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc., and
Congressman Brad Schneider,10th Congressional District.